Housing decision brief
Kalawao County, HI Housing Market
Kalawao County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
1st lowest rent out of 5
Median home value
N/A
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,300/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
N/A
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
N/A
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
25.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
N/A
Needs rent and owner-cost data.
Data confidence
Clean
No major county-specific caveat detected.
What Works
Lower rent
$1,300/mo is 28% below Hawaii county median
Rent burden below pressure line
25.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 99.9 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$86,250 median income is 8% below Hawaii county median
Best Fit For
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Kalawao County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | N/A | $838,250 | $281,900 | Needs dataNo Hawaii county median comparison available |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,300 | $1,810 | $1,163 | 28% favorable28% below Hawaii county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | N/A | $1,930 | $1,672 | Needs dataNo Hawaii county median comparison available |
Median household income | $86,250 | $93,612 | $74,755 | 8% pressure8% below Hawaii county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | N/A | 0.00% | 1.02% | Needs dataNo Hawaii county median comparison available |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 25.00% | 30.00% | N/A | 17% favorable25.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$34,250
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
N/A
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Kalawao County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $1,300/month representing approximately 18.1% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 25.0%.
Rent vs own
Kalawao County has incomplete rent-vs-own data. Median gross rent is $1,300/month and median monthly owner cost is N/A/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $52,000/year. With a median household income of $86,250, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 25.0% of renter households in Kalawao County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Kalawao County sits 8% less expensive than Hawaii County ($1,411/month) in terms of median gross rent.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanton County, KS | $64,200 | $691/mo | Out-of-state peer near $64,200 home value and $691/mo rent. |
| Chattahoochee County, GA | $99,800 | $1,235/mo | Out-of-state peer near $99,800 home value and $1,235/mo rent. |
| Stonewall County, TX | $54,700 | $620/mo | Out-of-state peer near $54,700 home value and $620/mo rent. |
| Wheeler County, TX | $97,600 | $995/mo | Out-of-state peer near $97,600 home value and $995/mo rent. |
| Bethel Census Area, AK | $120,600 | $1,454/mo | Out-of-state peer near $120,600 home value and $1,454/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- No major county-specific data caveat was detected in the current housing fields.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Kalawao County
Is Kalawao County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Kalawao County?
How much income do you need for housing in Kalawao County?
What should I double-check before moving to Kalawao County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.